The gaboon viper is a large, heavy snake found in central African rainforests. It has a distinctive pattern of splotches in brown, black, tan, and white colors that allow it to camouflage well. While generally docile, the gaboon viper has extremely long fangs that can deliver a deadly bite using powerful venom.

1. The gaboon vipers

2.  The gaboon viper is one of the most deadly and gorgeous
snakes
 in all of Africa. It is generally found in central Africa,
 and favors the tropical rain forest floor. While the gaboon
 viper is generally docile, it has the equipment and the
 potential to kill a human with a single bite. The snake is
 heavy, weighing in at up to 18 pounds, and grows to a length
 of up to 7 feet. It has a very interesting pattern of splotches
 mixed with brown, black, tan, and white. This coloration
allows
 the gaboon viper to blend in with its surroundings well.

3.  1 - The gaboon viper has a head that looks much like a
leaf.
 Camouflage is a very important weapon in the gaboon
viper's
 arsenal and the head of this snake is one of the best
 examples.While its body is multicolored, the head is
 generally tan and in the shape of a triangle. It is a
master
 of positioning itself perfectly still, and blending in with
 the ground and leaves around it. Prey sometimes will
crawl
 right on top of the gaboon viper before realizing it's
deadly
 mistake.

4. 2 - Female gaboon vipers are viviparous. This
means that the
 gaboon viper bears its babies alive, and they
tend to have
 around 50 babies per pregnancy.

5. 3 - The gaboon viper is armed with the
longest fangs of any
 snake in the world. The fangs of the gaboon
viper have been
 known to exceed two full inches. Keep in
mind that this is
 per fang. Ouch!

6.  4 - The gaboon viper is a sit and wait predator.
As mentioned
 before, the gaboon viper is a master of
camouflage and it us
 es this better than most snakes. The gaboon
viper will sit
 along some known vermin trail and patiently
wait for supper
 to come to it. Once it happens by, the snake
will strike
 with ferocity.

7.  5 - The gaboon viper does not let go after the
bite. This is
 a fairly unusual method among venomous
snakes. Usually, only
 the larger boas and pythons bite and hold on as
they tend to
 wrap the prey. The gaboon viper however holds
on until the
 prey is dead. This can be a problem when a
human is bitten
 as the chance of heavy doses of venom being
delivered is
 high.

8.  The Gaboon viper is usually found in rainforests and
nearby
 woodlands, mainly at low altitudes, but sometimes as
 high as 1500 m. Spawls et al. (2004) mention a
maximum
 altitude of 2100 m. According to Broadley and Cook
(1975)
 , it is generally found in environments that are parallel
to
 those occupied by its close relative, B. arietans, which
is
 normally found in more open country.

9.  Primarily nocturnal, Gaboon vipers have a reputation for
 being slow-moving and placid. They usually hunt by
ambush,
 often spending long periods motionless, waiting for
 suitable prey to happen by. On the other hand, they have
been
 known to hunt actively, mostly during the first six hours of
 the night. In Kumasi, Ghana, they were regularly killed
 around some stables in an open area with the forest some
500
 meters away — a sign that they were hunting rats in the
 grassland. They are usually very tolerant snakes, even
when
 handled, and rarely bite or hiss. However, bites by
 bad-tempered individuals do occur.

10.  Because of their large heavyset size, the adults have no
 trouble eating prey as large as fully-grown rabbits. When
 prey happens by them, they strike with fast precision and
 then usually hold onto their prey like a constrictor until
 the venom takes effect and the prey dies which can take a
 few minutes depending on the size of the prey. These snakes
 feed on a variety of birds and mammals, such as doves, many
 different species of rodents, including field mice and rats,
 as well as hares and rabbits. There are also reports of more
 unlikely prey items, such as tree monkeys, the brush-tailed
 porcupine (Atherurus) and even the small royal antelope
 (Neotragus).